1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to data storage, and more in particularly, to data storage media.
2. Background Information
With the expansion of information technology, increasing amount of data is recorded on data storage media for safekeeping and redundancy. Certain technologies such as high definition video technology generate large volumes of data. Conventionally, magnetic tape is used for mass data storage. However, magnetic tape is expensive, occupies large volume of space, and has limited durability (5-50 years). The limited durability requires tape archives to be re-read and re-copied regularly (every decade or so). As such, storing very large quantities of data inexpensively (both at low cost per byte and at low weight/volume per byte) for long periods of time (400 to 1000 years) remains challenging.